No relief for Mayawati in DA case

TNNMay 16, 2008, 03.20am IST

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to restrain the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from proceeding with filing of chargesheet against UP chief minister Mayawati in a disproportionate assets case. The court, however, issued notices to Centre and CBI on Ms Mayawati's petition alleging that UPA government was victimising her for political purposes.

A bench comprising chief justice KG Balakrishnan and justice MK Sharma refused to pass any order restraining CBI from proceeding against her in the case. "We are not going to pass any interim order" said court and posted the matter for July.

Senior counsel Harish Salve appearing for Ms Mayawati sought direction of the court to the investigation agency not to file chargesheet in the case. Opposing it, solicitor general GE Vahanvati appearing for Centre and investigation agency said that the CBI director be allowed to take a decision to file a report about the probe of the case before the apex court.

Mr Salve alleged that entire inquiry against the chief minister was illegal and the case was foisted against her for political reasons.

Mr Vahanvati, on the other hand said, that the CBI has registered two cases, one pertaining to the Taj scam case. The other relating to unearth the disbursement of Rs 17 crore among the beneficiaries of the scam. So the FIR in the DA case against her was an offshoot of the Taj case, said Mr Vahanvati.

So, the case was registered against her as per the apex court direction, he said, adding that Ms Mayawati had made representations at all level including prime minister against the case as she was scared of the outcome of the investigation.